Vehicle parking means



Oct. 19, RANDO VEHICLE PARKING MEANS Filed Aug. 15, 1951 I INVENTOR 0% me 5 MR a TZQZO ATTORNEYS meets-Sheet 1 Oct. 19, 1954 RANDO VEHICLE PARKING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 13, L951 7 INVENTOR hmes JR a 11. do

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a vehicle parking means.

An object of this invention is to provide an attachment for mounting on a vehicle whereby the vehicle may be parked in a space only slightly greater than the length of the vehicle and within which the vehicle could not ordinarily be disposed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic jack adjacent each wheel of the vehicle, with all of the jacks interconnected for simultaneous operation, and each jack has a wheel mounted on the lower end thereof which is disposed at right angles to the vehicle wheels so that the vehicle can move laterally of the length thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment of this kind including a central control means and an auxiliary pump which is adapted to be operated from the engine.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment of this kind including a safety means which will lock the hydraulic jacks against operation when the vehicle is in normal operation, and for locking the wheel axles to the vehicle frame when the jacks are operative.

A further object of this invention is to provide power means connected with certain of the jack wheels on each side of the vehicle so that the vehicle may be shiftedlaterally into or out of the parking space.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pressure relief valve in the pressure side of the pump so as to bypass the liquid to the reservoir when the pressure exceeds amount.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle frame structure having a parking means constructed according to an embodiment of this invention mounted thereon,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section, partly broken away, of the vehicle frame,

Figure 3 is a vertical section of one of the jack members taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3,

. Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the liquid circuit,

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuit,

a predetermined Figure '7 is a front elevation of the electric control panel,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9--9 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates generally a conventional vehicle frame structure having a rear axle II on which wheels I2 are mounted, and also having a front axle I3 on which wheels 14 are mounted. The vehicle frame I0 is cushioned relative to the axles H and 13 by means of springs l5 and IS.

A front pair of hydraulic jack members I! and [8 are secured to the opposite sides of the frame [0 rearwardly of the front wheels l4, and a rear pair of hydraulic jack members l9 and 20 are secured to the frame It] rearwardly of the rear wheels l2. The jack members I! to 20 inclusive are of like construction and are secured to the frame I0 by like securing means.

Each jack member comprises a vertically disposed cylinder 2] having an upper head 22, and the cylinder 2| is secured to a bracket means 23 by means of a pair of U-bolts 24. The bracket 23 includes a vertically-disposed base plate 25 secured by fastening means 26 to the frame 10. A piston or plunger 21 is slidable within the cylinder 2| and includes an elongated downwardly extending piston rod 28 having a fork 29 on the lower end thereof.

A wheel 32 is journalled on a shaft 3| extending between the arms of the fork 29. The cylinder 2| has a lower pressure line 33 connected with the lower portion thereof, and also has an upper pressure line 34 connected with the upper portion thereof. The two pressure lines 33 and 34 provide means whereby the piston 21 may be positively moved upwardly or downwardly to retract or extend the jack member.

The forks of the two front jack members I! and I8 are connected together by means of a tie rod 35, and the forks of the rear jack members l9 and 20 are connected together by means of a rear tie rod 36. These tie rods 35 and 36 provide a means whereby the wheels 32 will be held at right angles to the length of the frame [0, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described.

The pressure lines 33 on the same side of the vehicle are connected between the front and'rear jack members, and in like manner the upper pressure lines 34 on the same side of the vehicle are connected with the jack members on that side of the vehicle.

A fluid pump 31 is disposed adjacent the forward end of the engine E in a position whereby drive plate 38 of the pump 31 bears against the outer surface of engine fan belt 39. Preferably the pump 31 is rockably supported on a supporting member 46 and is constantly urged away from the fan belt 39 by means of a spring M. The pressure side of the pump 31 has a pipe 42 connected therewith, and the pipe 42 is connected to a cross. pipe 43 which is connected between the two lower lines 33.

A regulating valve 44 of conventional construction is interposed in the pipe 42 and has an outlet pipe 45 connected therewith which is connected to a cross pipe 46 which is connected between the pressure lines 34. The valve 44 includes a valve operating lever 41 which upon rocking thereof is adapted to regulate the flow of the fluid to either the lower pressure lines 33, or the upper pressure lines 34.

A return pipe 48 is connected with the valve 44.

and is also connected to a fluid reservoir 49. The fluid reservoir 49 is connected to the intake side of the pump 31 by means of a pipe 50. A safety or bypass valve I is interposed in the pipe 42 between the pump 31 and the valve 44 and is also connected by means of a pipe 52 to the return line 48. The pump 31 is adapted to be moved inwardly toward the belt 39 by means of a cam 53 which is carried by an elongated slide rod 54 slidably mounted in guides 55, Figures 1 and 8.

A front pair of L-shaped locking levers 56 are 'rockably mounted on pivots 51 and the lower side of each lever 56 is adapted, when lever 56 is in locking position, to engage beneath the front tie rod 35. A rear pair of L-shaped locking levers 58 are rockably mounted on pivots 59 and are adapted, when in operativeposition, to engage beneath the rear tie rod 36. These locking levers 56 and 58 are adapted to prevent accidental extendingof the jack members when the vehicle is inrnormal operation.

The pivots 57 and 59 comprise cross shafts and provide means whereby the front and rear locking levers may be operated each as a unit. An elongated control rod 6| extends lengthwise of the frame I0 and is connected at its rear end to a lever 62 which is fixed on the shaft 59, and is connected at its forward end to a lever 63 fixed on the shaft '51. The rear end of the cam carrying rod 54 is pivotally connected as at 64 to the control rod 6|.

A regulating lever 65 pivotally mounted as at 66 on a support 6? is pivotally connected as at 68 with the control rod 6|, Figures 1 and 2.

In order to provide a means whereby the hooks 56 and are connected with the latter by means of links 13. The hooks II are also oppositely disposed with respect to the hooks 58 and are connected with the latter by means of links l4. By means of the opposite arrangement of the locking hooks hereinbefore described, when the hooks 56 and 58 are in locking position with respect to the tie rods 35 and 36, the hooks 69 and II are in released position with respect to the springs I6 and I5 respectively. Also when it is desired to extend the jack members and lever is rocked rearwardly at its upper end locking hooks 56 and 58 will be swung rearward 1y to disengaged position with respect to the tie all variations falling within the purview rods 35 and 36 and at the same time the spring locking hooks 69 and II will be swung rearwardly to a locking position with respect to the springs I6 and I5 respectively.

In order to provide a means whereby the vehicle may be shifted laterally of the normal line of travel into a parking space, the wheels of the front jacks I1 and I8 are connected each with an electric motor '55 and E6 respectively.

The motor shaft has a small gear member 11.

mounted thereon which engages a large gear 18 which is fixed relative to a jack wheel 32. The

-motors I5-and I6 are adapted to be operative in reverse so that one of these motors will move the vehicle in one direction and the other motor will move the vehicle in the opposite direction.

There is a separate electric circuit for each motor I5 and I6 as shown in Figure 6, with a manuallyoperable spring-pressed switch I9 in terposed in the circuit 80. The switch 19 is spring-pressed to an open position so that normally each switch will be in circuit breaking position. The motor I6 is energized by closing of a switch BI and as shown in Figure '7, a relatively small panel 82 is mounted adjacent to or on the dash of the vehicle so as to be in a convenient position to the driver of the vehicle.

In the use and operation of this invention, the jack members I? and I8 are vmounted on the frame In rearwardly of the front wheels I4, and the rear jack members I9 and 26 are mounted on the frame I6 rearwardly of'the rear wheels I2. The pump 3'! is supported adjacent the fan belt 39 so that the pump may be manually moved inwardly to operating position when cam 53 is moved lengthwise of the frame I0. During the normal operation of the vehicle the jack locking levers 56 and 58 will be disposed inrthe dotted line position shown in Figure 2, engaged beneath the tie bars or rods 35 and 36. Spring locking hooks 69 and II will at this time be disposed in their released position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. When it is desired to shift the vehicle laterally into a relatively small parking space within which the vehicle could not normally be parked, the jack members H to 29 inclusive are extended and at this time lever 65 will be disposed into the position shown in Figure 2. Locking levers 56 and 58 will be swung rearwardly to released position and simultaneously spring locking levers or hooks 69 and 1| will be swung rearwardly to the full line position shown in Figure 2, whereby the springs I6 and I5 respectively will be held against expanding or relax,- mg.

Operation of the valve control lever 41 will connect upper pressure lines 34 with the pressure line 42 so that the pistons 2'! of the jack members will be forced downwardly. When the vehicle wheels I2 and I4 are elevated or disengaged from the road, motor I6 may be energized so as to laterally shift the vehicle into the parking space. The vehicle may be moved out of the parking space by energizing motor 75. The parking means hereinbefore described can be readily attached to the vehicle frame without alteration of any of the parts of the frame, and when in position the parking means will provide an effective means for permitting the vehicle to be moved into a parking space which is only slightly longer than the length of the vehicle.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In combination, a vehicle frame, wheel-supporting front and rear axles connected to said frame, vehicle springs connected to said axles and said vehicle frame, a plurality of parking jack members arranged in pairs with one pair being mounted on the front end of the frame and the other pair being mounted on the rear end of the frame, means for simultaneously extending all of said jack members, a wheel carried by the movable portion of each jack member, said wheels being engageable with the road surface when said jack members are extended, a transverse tie bar connected to the movable portion of each of said jack members of each pair, locking levers pivotally secured to said vehicle frame, each of said locking levers having an end engageable beneath each of said tie bars for holding said jack members in their retracted positions against accidental extension thereof, vehicle spring looking levers pivotally secured to the vehicle frame, each of said vehicle spring locking levers having an end engageable with said springs beneath said axles to lock said springs against relaxing, linkage means pivotally connecting one of each of said first levers with an adjacent vehicle spring lever, said linkage means being connected to said first levers and said vehicle spring levers intermediate their respective pivotal connections and their said associated ends and having a length greater than the distance between said springs and said tie bar to retain said first levers in engagement with said movable portion of said jacks while simultaneously disengaging said second levers from said springs, said first and second levers being operable independently of the movement of said wheels carried by said movable portions of said jacks, and operating means pivotally connected to the other ends of said tie bar locking levers to operate the same in unison whereby said tie bar locking levers simultaneous- 1y actuate the associated vehicle spring levers through said linkage means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,742,636 Collins Jan. 7, 1930 1,772,716 Hall Aug. 12, 1930 1,884,932 Walker Oct. 25, 1932 1,890,716 Andreasen et al. Dec. 13, 1932 1,914,643 McCann June 20, 1933 2,002,132 Wolfe May 21, 1935 2,090,768 Thomas Aug. 24, 1937 2,175,776 Jeremiah Oct. 10, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS I Number Country Date 661,905 France Mar. 12, 1929 

